home and to my office, where late. This evening I being informed did look
and saw the Comet, which is now, whether worn away or no I know not, but
appears not with a tail, but only is larger and duller than any other
star, and is come to rise betimes, and to make a great arch, and is gone
quite to a new place in the heavens than it was before: but I hope in a
clearer night something more will be seen. So home to bed.

25th (Lord's day and Christmas day). Up (my wife's eye being ill still of
the blow I did in a passion give her on Monday last) to church alone,
where Mr. Mills, a good sermon. To dinner at home, where very pleasant
with my wife and family. After dinner I to Sir W. Batten's, and there
received so much good usage (as I have of late done) from him and my Lady,
obliging me and my wife, according to promise, to come and dine with them
to-morrow with our neighbours, that I was in pain all the day, and night
too after, to know how to order the business of my wife's not going, and
by discourse receive fresh instances of Sir J. Minnes's folly in
complaining to Sir G. Carteret of Sir W. Batten and me for some family
offences, such as my having of a stopcock to keepe the water from them,
which vexes me, but it would more but that Sir G. Carteret knows him very
well. Thence to the French church, but coming too late I returned and to
Mr. Rawlinson's church, where I heard a good sermon of one that I remember
was at Paul's with me, his name Maggett; and very great store of fine
women there is in this church, more than I know anywhere else about us.
So home and to my chamber, looking over and setting in order my papers and
books, and so to supper, and then to prayers and to bed.

26th. Up, and with Sir W. Pen to White Hall, and there with the rest did
our usual business before the Duke, and then with Sir W. Batten back and
to his house, where I by sicknesse excused my wife's coming to them
to-day. Thence I to the Coffeehouse, where much good discourse, and all